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How small is to small?

Can't afford cuben so I am looking to make a sil nylon tarp but want as light as possible, but also want enough coverage to stay dry. I have a large tarp already so looking for small lightweight tarp that I can take when no major storms are in the forecast for just a wknd getaway but still want to have a tarp just in case something blows in. So I am asking veterans what they would suggest, I am sure someone has already figured out this dilemma but haven't found a thread on it so I started this one, thanks in advance.

My current small tarp has an 11 foot ridgeline and is 8 feet across at the widest points. Cat cut hex tarp provides best coverage for small size/low weight, IMO. Although many do "enjoy" their asym diamond tarps for truly minimal coverage.

*Heaven best have trees, because I plan to lounge for eternity.

Good judgement is the result of experience and experience the result of bad judgement. - Mark Twain

My first hammock was a HH Hyperlite with the stock rainfly. I'm sure it was just psychological, rather than physical, but it didn't seem to offer enough coverage. So I switched to a bigger, cat-cut DIY cuben and have been really happy with it.

My current small tarp has an 11 foot ridgeline and is 8 feet across at the widest points. Cat cut hex tarp provides best coverage for small size/low weight, IMO. Although many do "enjoy" their asym diamond tarps for truly minimal coverage.

Thanks Catavarie, I also like the Cat cut tarps over the diamond tarp. I will probably go with about an 11' ridgeline or maybe 10' my ridgeline for hammock is 100" just didn't know if I could go smaller than your 8' wide and still stay dry or not. Most silnylon comes in widths of 62" and was wondering if that would be to narrow, I kinda think it would be to narrow but curious if someone has tried it already.

The 8 feet is at the tieouts at the top of the cat cuts it is around 7'2". I've been in a couple of worm drowning storms under it and it covers my 10 foot hammock (~102" ridge line) very well with a surprisingly large amount of space underneath. If I was to go as small as comfortable I could probably take an addtional 6"-9" off each side, but don't think I would feel as secure in a big storm. As it is right now, if a storm rolls in while I'm asleep I simply pull my hiking poles out of the loops dropping them below my hammock and let the porch side hang lower to cover from that side better.

*Heaven best have trees, because I plan to lounge for eternity.

Good judgement is the result of experience and experience the result of bad judgement. - Mark Twain

I used a 10' x 5' tarp (http://www.hammockbliss.com/all-purp...rproof-shelter) for the first year and it was fine... For sitting in the hammock. I upgraded to a Superfly, not because I was getting wet with the smaller tarp but because I wanted the option of hanging out under my tarp if I get stuck in bad weather for extended periods.

I have used a DIY sil poncho, about 5' x 8.5', hung on the diagonal. It was much bigger than the original tiny Hennessy tarp I had, so it was an improvement. I like this length ridgeline (almost 10') better than longer ones, so I made a tarp with more coverage by sewing triangular pieces onto all four sides, such that each end had a beak with a vertical end seam about 2' long. This gives great coverage. But for minimal weight and sewing, try just a piece of sil 62" wide x 102" long.